Crystal Lake man not guilty by insanity in mother’s stabbing death
A 51-year-old Crystal Lake man was found not guilty by reason of insanity in the spring 2010 stabbing death of his mother and sent to a state mental health facility indefinitely.
After a hearing this week, McHenry County Judge Joseph Condon found James E. Trzcinski insane when he killed his 80-year-old mother March 5, 2010, at a home they shared in the 3400 block of East Crystal Lake Avenue.
Trzcinski, who suffers from schizophrenia, was found unfit for trial in May 2010.
“He’s been unfit for a year and hasn’t been restored to fitness,” said McHenry County Assistant State’s Attorney David Johnston.
The discharge hearing this week was not a criminal trial with a jury but basically arguments only from attorneys.
Weeks ago, prosecutors and defense attorneys agreed on evidence of Dorothy Trzcinski’s death to give the judge, such as Trzcinski’s three-hour police interview, the 911 tape and a report from a state doctor that Trzcinski was legally insane.
Johnston argued that Trzcinski was ill at the time of the killing, but still knew it was wrong to stab his mother 42 times while she called 911.
“His history was he would be fine for long periods of time, get off his medication, get hospitalized and get back on track,” Johnston said. “The evidence in the case was he didn’t want to take his meds.”
Assistant Public Defender Kim Messer said the evidence “clearly supported” that Trzcinski was insane.
“There was really no dispute about the facts of what happened. Our primary issue was his mental state (at the time of the killing),” said Messer. “He’s one of the most severely mentally ill clients I’ve represented.”
If Condon had ruled that Trzcinski was guilty but mentally ill, the state would have up to five years to restore him to be fit to stand trial.
For now, Trzcinski will be sent to a state mental health facility indefinitely or for a period of time equal to the sentence he could have received if convicted of murder, which is in this case would have been natural life in prison.
Condon ordered state officials to draw up a treatment plan and report back on Nov. 29.
“Any treatment will be inpatient, which is what we expected,” Messer said.
Trzcinski’s attorneys also must intermittently present evaluation reports to the judge every 60 to 90 days.